Heidi Huber Photography

I feel extremely blessed to have my friend Ingrid as I visited her up in Quincy last month for Halloween and for me to pretend I’m a newspaper photographer again by playing around during the Apple Pressing event across the street from Quincy Natural Foods. I never knew Plumas county was saturated with apples (now I really wish I could live there!) until fulfilling my desire for community as I watched the people of Quincy come together with four apple presses to make apple juice with the community. Such an amazing community. I’m jealous too, because the people and colors are so incredibly vibrant and alive in Quincy. Plus Quincy Natural Foods (and every time I go to Quincy – I totally buy out the Spelt cookies from the American Baking Co. in side Quincy Natural Foods) is one of the best natural foods stores I’ve seen. (Totally rules over the Reno co-op and New Moon in Truckee and Tahoe City – nothing against my local natural foods stores, I’m so thankful they’re here, but once you go to Quincy’s, you’ll understand). It’s been so long since I’ve pretended to be a newspaper photographer and photographed a full on feature event. (Feature events or wild art events are “slices of life” – usually to spot light local activities in the community) I used to photograph feature stories of community events when I freelanced for the Contra Costa Times and ANG newspapers in the Bay, and a few events for the Fresno Bee when I worked there. Sometimes I really miss it, photographing for a newspaper. *sigh* But I love what I do, and thrive in this creative adventure.Apple pressing: After the apples are collected from the trees, they’re washed and then in small amounts fed through the presser at the top. The apples are crushed with the apple “meat” spit out (if you’ve every used a vegetable juicer then you know what I’m writing about) with the juice being drained to a holding bucket at the bottom. Then the meat that didn’t get spit out from the presser is “pressed” and the juice is filtered into the final bucket, and now it’s time to enjoy the amazingly fresh, local and organic apple juice. Many many thanks to my friend Ingrid for introducing me to new experiences, to Ray and Sally Nichol (whom I dedicated most of the time with, interacting and honing my location with them and their apple press) and Lily Davis, with her gorgeous blonde hair and colorful attire, she definitely was fun to play with and photograph.